Drop step



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L e u m 5 s. POOLE DROP STEP Filed May 22, 1924 Jan, 20, 1925 Fig Patented Jan. 28, 192%.

n i r n SAMUEL POOLE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

DROP STEP.

Application filed May 22, 1924. Serial No. 715,024.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL POOLE, a cit-i zen of the United States, residing at J ackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Drop Step, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a drop step adapted for use on passenger cars and the like, with which it is necessary, or desirable, to use a foot stool to afiord a stepping member for passengers alighting from and mounting to the steps of the car.

in object of the invention is to provide a moveable step attached to the car which may be moved out of position when desired and readily placed in operative position, so as to eliminate the necessity of using the stepping member which is detached from the car, the present device being operable for movement into operative position by a power operated moving device and adapted for moving to inoperative position in re sponse to the tension of a resilient member placed under tension upon the movement of the power operating device into operative position.

Another obj ect of the invention is the provision of an air cylinder having a piston rod adapted for engaging the movable step for moving it into operative position.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a device of the class described of an air cylinder having a piston rod adapted for projecting through a resilient mem her and attached, at its free end, to the movable step, the resilient member being for restoring the movable step to inoperative position upon the release of the air from the air cylinder.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

The invention will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a car embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the at taching means for supporting the movable step,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central vertical sectional view of the invention applied to a step,

Fig. 4; is a rear elevational view of the invention applied to a step.

As shown in the drawings, the invention is used with a passenger car 7, or the like, having steps 8 mounted adjacent a vestibule at the ends thereof. These steps generally terminate a distance above the surface over which the car is propelled, so as to afford suflicient clearance for any obstruction which may be positioned on the rightof-way. The result is that the. steps are at too great an elevation to afford easy mounting and dismounting thereon and therefrom, necessitating the use of a footstool or the like to assist passengers in boarding and dismounting from the cars. The present invention is provided to obviate the necessity of using the foot stool by providing a slideable step positioned beneath the lowermost step 9 and so arranged as to be moved into operative and inoperative position at will. The steps 8 are secured at their ends to side members 10 and 11. Mounted on these side members, at opposite sides, are metallic strips 12 having a plurality of elongated slots 13 formed therein longitudinally thereof so as to engage studs or bolts let driven into the members 10 and 11. The slideable or auxiliary step 15 is securely mounted to the lower edge of the members 12 in any desired manner. Mounted by suitable brackets 16 and 17, beneath the steps 8, intermediate the ends thereof, is a cylinder 18 adapted for operating by air a supply of which is delivered to the car. Suitable piping communicates to the cylinder 18 and is provided with suitable control volves. This piping and the control valves are not shown inasmuch as any customary method of connecting the. cylinder of the air supply of the car will suffice. Slideably mounted in the cylinder 18 is a piston 19 having a piston rod 20 projecting fro-m the cylinder and extending through an opening formed in a bracket 21, which is secured to one of the steps 8. Securely attached to the bracket 21 is one end of a coil spring 22, the opposite end 23 of which is fastened to a bracket 24 mounted on the. auxiliary step 15 intermediate its ends. The arrangement is such that the movement of the auxiliary step to operative position will place the spring 22 under tension so that the spring 22 normally tends to retain the moveable step in inoperative position or in close engagement with the under surface of the lowermost fixed step. The end of the piston rod 20 is swivelly attached to a suitablesocketforming portion 25 which is present on the bracket 24:. It is to be noted that the piston rod extends through the coil spring 22 and that the projection of the rod through the bracket Ql a flords a guide for the rod in its reciprocal movements The -pro-gection oi the rod through the spring in the manner shown serves to g'uide the spring in its movements and serves to prevent any bending or buckling-otthespring in its movements.

It is thus seen that I have provided a drop step -i:or-passengercars and the like which ispower operated and-which may be controlled at'will the operator. The most convenient place for mounting the control valves off the air pipes would seem to be in the vestibule. However, this is a matter which may be left to the discretion of the builder. Upon thefturningot the air into the cylinder 18, the piston is forced outwardly, so as to. move, through operation "of the piston rod 20,u1e" auxiliary step 15 into operative positionas shown in Fig. 3. XVhen it is desired that the auxiliary step be raised tov inoperative position, the air be turned ofi" and'the spring will then cause the auxiliary step to move upwardly into close; engagement with the lower step 9, a suitable escape openingbeing provided 'in'the ordinary manner either in the control valve, thejpiping or the cylinder.

It is desirable that this cylinder be positionedintermediate the ends of the stepv as shown, an dythe positioning of this cylinder ma -abs said tobe adjacentthe longitudinal axisot tlie steps, it being understood that a plane bisecting all of the steps would pass 7 through thecenter' of the cylinder.

' said auxiliary step and adapted for slidable movement along the side walls associated with saldsteps; a cylinder mounted ad -acent the longitudinal axis of Said steps; a p ston rod adapted for projecting from said cylindef; means for pivotally mounting the free end'otsald p1stonrod to said auxlhary step -lIlt6I'IX1Cl15Lt8 the ends of said step; and-re silient means in parallel relation to said piston rodtending normally to, -maintain said auxiliary step in inoperative position.

2. In combination-with a vehicle having a plurality of, steps and side members for supporting the same, an auxiliary step adapted for positioning beneath the lowermost of said steps in slideable relation thereto; means slideably mounted on sald side members for supporting said auxiliary step;

resilient means for normally maintaining saidauxiliarystep in inoperative position; a bracket mounted-on said step for engaging one end of said resilient-means; and

power operated means for moving said auxiliary step into operative position, said bracket serving as a guide for said power operated means; i V r In combination with a vehicle having a plurality of steps and side members torisup- B porting the same, an auxiliary step adapted for positioning in slideable relation to said steps beneath the lowermost step; a bracket mounted onsaid auxiliary step intermediate its ends; aguidingbracket mounted on one' of said vehicle steps; a spring attached at one end to said bracket on said auxiliary step and at its opposite endto said-guiding bracket; a cylinder mountedon said steps adjacent the-longitudinal axisthereoi'; a-

piston rod projecting" from said cylinder and adapted for passing through an-opening formed in said guiding bracket, the free end of said piston rod being pivotally connected to the bracket on saidauxiliary lm step. t

lrln combination with a'vehi'clehaving a plurality of steps and sidememb'ers-for supporting "the same, an auxiliary step adapted for positionin most'of said steps in slideable relation-there to; auxiliary {step supporting members inounte d'on; said side members in slideable relation thereto, said auxiliarys'tep' supporting members having a plurality of elongated slots formed therein; a bracket formedon said auxiliarystepsintermediate its ends; a guide bracket mounted on said'steps; a cylinder mounted on said steps-adjacent-the' longitudinal axis thereof; a pistonrod projecting from said cylinder andthroug'h an opening formed in said guidebracket; and means for pivotally mountingthe free end of saidpiston rod "to-said, bracket {on said auxiliary step; and a sprlng inembracing relation to said piston rod, one end of said spring being attached toth'e bracket on said auxiliary step and the opposite end-being attached to said guiding bracket, saidspring being adapted; for; normally 'maintai'ning said auxiliary step 'in i-noperativeposition relatively to said'vehicle steps. 7

In testimony whereof I have signedthe foregoing specification,

- SAMUEL" Poets,

beneath e lower "105 

